Pest, disease and weed management

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Research outcomes: A comprehensive RD&E program that addresses existing and emerging pests, diseases and weeds, allowing sugarcane growers to manage their crops efficiently with minimal environmental impacts. An enhanced industry capacity to deal with incursions of exotic pests, diseases and weeds.

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Author: search.filters.author.Samson, PRSubject: search.filters.subject.Integrated pest management

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    Enhanced adoption of integrated pest management in sugarcane : SRDC final report BSS225
    (BSES, 2002) Hunt, WD; Samson, PR
    The project focused on changing the way BSES engages clients in dealing with pest management issues, using the concept of participatory action-learning. Thirty-two small groups of canegrowers were formed around eight pest types. In addition, three major extension campaigns were delivered on the sugar industry?s two most damaging pests, greyback canegrubs and cane rats. A roadshow integrated pest management (IPM) program on rats that was run in central and northern areas in 1999 contacted 480 growers. The wider-reaching initiative Rat Attack trained 2,700 growers in a program to raise awareness and understanding of rodent IPM in late 2000. The greyback canegrub program GrubPlan trained 906 growers and rural industry staff through 70 IPM workshops in late 2001. Training was an interactive process based on developing understanding and skills, leading to a change in practices. Results have been rewarding. Following the rat programs, damage to cane was reduced by around 21% (98,000 t) in 2000 and 58% (273,000 t) in 2001, in comparison with 1999. The GrubPlan program is also reaping dividends with around 60% of growers implementing 80% or more of the management plans they developed in the series. Visible damage to cane from greyback has subsequently declined, which will be confirmed by estimates of crop losses at the end of 2002. The project has been able to mitigate pest impact through achieving learnings with clients. It has also assisted extension and research staff to operate more effectively using good meeting process and extension planning, and has served to standardise IPM programs in industry.
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    Integrated pest management of soldier fly : SRDC final report BSS160
    (BSES, 2001) Samson, PR
    Soldier flies are a serious soil-dwelling pest of cane, and there is no insecticidal control available. In large-plot trials, numbers of soldier fly larvae in plant and first ratoon crops were lower after a long fallow, with old crops destroyed early in the harvest season and new crops planted late the following year, than after a short fallow with late crop destruction and early planting. This difference was not maintained in older ratoons in the trials, but that may not be so if long fallowing was implemented on a larger scale. Two long fallowing methods, either using herbicide to kill old crops and weeds or growing soybeans, were at least as effective as bare fallowing with frequent cultivation, the previously recommended cultural control procedure for the pest. These methods are now recommended for soldier fly management. Various other procedures were tested for killing soldier fly larvae in fallows ? rotary hoeing, application of a biocide (metam-sodium), combination of a systemic pesticide (carbofuran) with a lure crop (sorghum), and growing brassica break crops ? but these either did not control soldier flies or failed for other reasons. The annual addition of organic matter to crops as either a green-cane trash blanket or mill mud did not change the soldier fly status of fields within a crop cycle. Long fallowing by appropriate means is the best way of minimising the risk of damaging soldier fly populations in young ratoon crops, although at the cost of reduced plant crop yields due to a shortened growing period.